Aa
Doc's Opinion
On 8/25 had condom protected sex. Before the actual sex unprotected meatus touched her vaginal area. On 8/27, I noticed that I felt feverish - aching joints. Dull aching pain in my left inguinal area. Went to doctor. Started on Bactrim. Fever of 99.1. 8/29 non itchy rash that covered my back as well as the inside of my elbow joints. Singular red dots. 8/30 no fever. D/C'd Bactrim. Single swollen lymph node in my left inguinal area (painful) as well as a swollen node on the rear right side of my head. 9/1 rash spread to back of hands, buttocks and top of feet. Went to UC facility. No fever. Steroid injection and Doxycline. Bilateral swollen inguinal lymph nodes that are painful. Swollen gland on the back of my head. 9/3, rash is gone, but lymph nodes are still swollen. Dull aches around my elbow joints and under my arms. 9/6, bilateral swollen nodes in the neck. Fever of 99.1. 3 instances of watery bowels. Low energy. 9/7 and had complete lab work: CBC/diff, hep panel, RPR, and HIV. Began Amox TR-K CLV. Lab work came back normal. Still having joint pain and muscle pain. Lymph nodes have started to decrease in size and pain. I am still experiencing mild fever with some night sweats and loose/watery stools. Here are my questions: 1. Did the onset of the symptoms begin too early to be HIV? 2. How accurate is the HIV test at the time that I got it in relation to my "possible" exposure? 3. I included the info about the insect bites because of the possiblity of virus transmitted by the. I know that is not your area of study, but do you think that is more probable? 4. What is your recommended course of action now?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Interesting. I'm not sure whether such tests reflect acute or past infection, or whether one of those infections explains the symptoms you described; that's an issue for the doc who did the testing. But at least you know it wasn't HIV.
Hey doc. Just thought that I would follow up. I tested positive for West Nile Virus/Dengue Fever - not HIV. Thanks again for your your service!!
Thank you sir for your thorough and timely response. I appreciate your service. I will put this behind me, concentrate on getting over whatever this **** is that I do have, and move on. Thanks again!!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
First reply, based on the first sentence before I read anything else: Condom protected = no risk for HIV. Unless there is some very surprising information in the rest of your message, you could not have acquired HIV and any symptoms or other problems you might describe are not due to HIV. Period.
Now I have read the rest. Nothing you describe changes that initial judgment. Most likely nobody every caught HIV from the brief urethral exposure you describe. Most likely the doc you are seeing has also reassured you about HIV. Some of your symptoms are consistent with HIV, but every symptom that primary HIV causes is also caused by innumerable other things, all more common than HIV; and the overall pattern of symptoms is against HIV anyway. You do not have fever, which is almost universal with ARS. Everybody's body temp varies to as high as 99.5; 98.6 is the average, not the maximum normal temperature. The rash of ARS does not itch. And you are right in the implication of question 1: ARS symptoms never start sooner than a week after exposure, usually 10-14 days.
Bottom line: I don't know what you have, and on this forum I do not speculate about things other than HIV or other STDs. Most likely your symptoms have nothing to do with the sexual exposure you describe, except to the extent that some of them might reflect anxiety over the event. To your specific questions:
1) See above.
2) About 50% of infected people would have a positive antibody test at about that time.
3) Nobody in the world ever caught HIV by an insect bite. That potential route of transmission was disproved 20+ years ago.
4) My advice is to a) forget about HIV and b) follow your doc's advice.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Now I have read the rest. Nothing you describe changes that initial judgment. Most likely nobody every caught HIV from the brief urethral exposure you describe. Most likely the doc you are seeing has also reassured you about HIV. Some of your symptoms are consistent with HIV, but every symptom that primary HIV causes is also caused by innumerable other things, all more common than HIV; and the overall pattern of symptoms is against HIV anyway. You do not have fever, which is almost universal with ARS. Everybody's body temp varies to as high as 99.5; 98.6 is the average, not the maximum normal temperature. The rash of ARS does not itch. And you are right in the implication of question 1: ARS symptoms never start sooner than a week after exposure, usually 10-14 days.
Bottom line: I don't know what you have, and on this forum I do not speculate about things other than HIV or other STDs. Most likely your symptoms have nothing to do with the sexual exposure you describe, except to the extent that some of them might reflect anxiety over the event. To your specific questions:
1) See above.
2) About 50% of infected people would have a positive antibody test at about that time.
3) Nobody in the world ever caught HIV by an insect bite. That potential route of transmission was disproved 20+ years ago.
4) My advice is to a) forget about HIV and b) follow your doc's advice.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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